Physical therapy for horses involves the application of various therapeutic techniques to aid in the rehabilitation, recovery, and maintenance of equine musculoskeletal health. These techniques are used to address issues such as injuries, post-surgical recovery, and performance enhancement. Methods commonly employed in equine physical therapy include massage, stretching, hydrotherapy, and controlled exercise programs. Physical therapy aims to improve mobility, reduce pain, and promote healing in horses. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the methodologies, efficacy, and outcomes of physical therapy interventions in equine care.
To evaluate the effect of hippotherapy (physical therapy utilizing the movement of a horse) on muscle activity in children with spastic cerebral palsy. Methods: Pretest/post-test control group. Methods: Therapeutic Riding of Tucson (TROT), Tucson, AZ. Methods: Fifteen (15) children ranging from 4 to 12 years of age diagnosed with spastic cerebral palsy. Methods: Children meeting inclusion criteria were randomized to either 8 minutes of hippotherapy or 8 minutes astride a stationary barrel. Methods: Remote surface electromyography (EMG) was used to measure muscle activity of the trunk and upper...
Hennig VE, Luís da Silva A, Zanetti MS, Copetti F.Hippotherapy uses horseback riding movements for therapeutic purposes. In addition to the horse's movement, the choice of equipment and types of positions are also useful in the intervention. Trunk postural control demands can be manipulated through varying mounting materials and patient positioning on the horse. The quantification of trunk dynamic parameters under the interaction of the different types of riding material and the position variations act upon trunk postural control provides insight into how children with neurotypical development respond to a similar hippotherapy session. This s...
Bernardino I, Borges DF, Casalta-Lopes J, Soares JI.BackgroundHippotherapy uses horse movement to promote physical and psychosocial rehabilitation and may benefit children with cerebral palsy (CP). Standardised instruments such as the Activity Scale for Kids-Performance (ASK), the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) and the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) are needed to quantify effects on motor function.ObjectivesTo systematically review the effects of hippotherapy on gross motor skills in children with CP. Although autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was included in the search strategy, no eligible ASD studies were identified.Met...
